Rick ... you are a national treasure! Thanks for the spirit and the fun
while changing this (fill in the blank) world of ours.
Eric at Eco-Cycle
-----Original Message-----
From: RicAnthony@no.address <RicAnthony@no.address>
To: greenyes@no.address <greenyes@no.address>; crra@no.address <crra@no.address>;
gaia-members@no.address <gaia-members@no.address>;
ZWIAPLAN@no.address <ZWIAPLAN@no.address>
Date: Monday, August 18, 2003 11:55 AM
Subject: [greenyes] The CRRA Conference and Waste Side Story
The CRRA Conference and Waste Side Story
Recycle Scene
August 2003
The 2003 California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Conference was held
in Ontario, California. The Southern California weather was warm and balmy,
with clear skies. As the Monday morning the opening speeches were concluded,
the Waste Side Story (Story by Doug Dorn) crew literally broke into the
program
(scene one) and began the first in a five scene choreographed musical
presentation (Ruth Abbe/Shana Levy) "Zero's the goal in Ontario, What is
your role in
Ontario?"
Speakers Dr. Paul H. Connett (St. Lawrence University) and Anne Leonard
(Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives) respectively defined the
international movement towards zero waste communities and the struggle to
eliminate
toxics from our world environment. Dr. Dan Knapp (Urban Ore) introduced the
methodology of getting to Zero Waste by dividing discards into twelve
categories
based on markets and processing equipment and developing resource recovery
parks.
At the exhibit hall (scene two), Tony Z'Best (John Hanscom) and Cool McCann
(Rick Anthony) are planning to go to the dance and Alotta Rot (Tim Warner)
sings "I feel pretty" and tries to interest Tony "…someday you will
appreciate my
appeal."
That night to the rock and roll sounds of the Fabulous Barona Blues Band at
the Marriott Pavilion (scene three), the Recyclers and the Zeros disrupt the
dance and to avoid a fight, Marina (Levy) teaches everybody the Sorting line
dance and Tony meets Marina.
Tuesday morning Penny Newman, a community organizer who was part of the
local
battle to cleanup the Stringfellow Acid Pits recounted her organizing
experiences. Her story brought tears to some eyes. Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr
(who has
been working with recycling coordinators) spoke next about fostering
sustainable behavior through social marketing programs.
The afternoon ended with a two-hour discussion on producer responsibility
involving the audience, but not before the R Gang and the Zeros disrupted
the
event (scene 4) with challenges and a rendition of "Tonight, there is going
to be
a rumble to night."
That night the outstanding programs were recognized by CRRA and the R Gang
and the Zeros again disrupt the show (scene five). Tony has second thoughts
and
the Gang sets him straight, "We're not a Gang, we're a movement." The Zeros
show and the taunting begins, "If you're not for zero waste, then how much
waste are you for?"
As the Gangs leave to prepare to rumble, Marina and Tony express their
feelings in Zero My Hero (Levy) "…Of all the heros, it seems that only
zero, is the
goal that will do…"
The Gangs return when the ghost of landfill past present and future (Dorn)
appears with his partner, Hotta Rot (Stefanie Pruegel) who has an easy way
to
reach zero "I can burn it clean and turn it green. And I am so easy…"
Tony is seduced. "Cremation or the tomb…" mocks the ghost of landfills.
Marina, a women for the new millennium refuses to let this happen to "her
man' and
calls the gangs to fight their common foe. Hotta is melted with "zero waste
water" and the ghost is buried by "ADC/green waste".
The gangs unite in a final chorus of "Recyclers rule in Ontario and Zero's
the goal in Ontario."
On Wednesday morning there were still several hundred CRRA members ready to
hear about the future of recycling, participate in the tours and attend
organizing workshops. The zero waste movement is alive and well in
California.
Rick Anthony
August 2003
RichardAnthonyAssociates.com
RicAnthony@no.address
San Diego CA 92109